“This Was Preventable”: How Inadequate Background Checks Led to Rideshare Assaults

These are civil lawsuits filed by passengers who were sexually assaulted, harassed, or attacked by their Uber or Lyft drivers. The core allegation is that the rideshare companies are legally responsible for these attacks due to corporate negligence, including their failure to implement adequate safety measures to protect riders.

The numbers are staggering. According to court documents, Uber received 400,181 reports of sexual assault or misconduct between 2017 and 2021. Lyft has also acknowledged thousands of incidents, with one legal filing noting the company identified over 18,000 instances of assault and harassment in a single year. As of October 2025, more than 2,700 survivors have filed lawsuits against Uber alone.

The lawsuits claim that Uber and Lyft acted recklessly with passenger safety by failing to:

• Adequately screen drivers: Lawsuits allege the companies chose not to use more rigorous, fingerprint-based background checks, which are standard in the taxi industry.
• Respond to passenger complaints: The companies are accused of ignoring credible complaints and allowing dangerous drivers to remain on their platforms.
• Implement necessary safety features: Survivors argue that the companies resisted or delayed implementing safety measures like in-car cameras or better in-app emergency assistance.

The legal definition is broad and covers a wide range of non-consensual acts. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Rape or attempted rape
• Groping, fondling, or unwanted sexual touching
• Forced sexual acts or sodomy
• Indecent exposure
• Kidnapping or physical detainment
• Unwanted kissing

If you are unsure whether an incident qualifies, it is best to speak with an attorney. It costs nothing to discuss your case.

The lawsuits are based on the legal theory of corporate negligence. This means the case isn’t just about the driver’s crime, but about the company’s own failures. The argument is that Uber and Lyft knew for years that assaults were happening on their platforms but prioritized growth over passenger safety, making them directly responsible for creating an unsafe environment.

Uber and Lyft primarily argue that they are not responsible because their drivers are independent contractors, not employees. Generally, a company is not liable for the actions of an independent contractor. They also argue that a sexual assault is an independent criminal act that falls outside the driver’s scope of work. However, attorneys for the survivors counter these arguments by focusing on the companies’ direct negligence in hiring, supervising, and retaining those drivers.

No, it is not a class-action lawsuit. The federal cases against Uber have been consolidated into a Multidistrict Litigation (MDL). An MDL groups similar cases before one judge for pre-trial proceedings to make the process more efficient. However, unlike a class action, each person’s lawsuit remains individual, and any potential settlement is based on the specific facts of their case.

• Uber: The Uber MDL (MDL No. 3084) is in an active pre-trial phase, with over 2,700 cases pending. The first federal “bellwether” (test) trials are scheduled to begin in December 2025.
• Lyft: While not yet an MDL, a motion was filed in October 2025 to consolidate the growing number of federal lawsuits against Lyft. Over 100 cases are already grouped in California state court.

You may be eligible to file a rideshare assault lawsuit if you or your child:

• Used a rideshare app like Uber or Lyft.
• Were sexually assaulted or physically injured by the driver during or after the ride.

Your first priority is your child’s safety and well-being.

• Get to a Safe Place: Ensure your child is in a secure environment.
• Seek Medical Attention: Go to a hospital or clinic immediately, even if there are no visible injuries. This creates a crucial medical record.
• Report to the Police: Filing a police report creates an official record of the incident.
• Preserve Evidence: Take screenshots of the ride receipt, driver information, and route from the app.
• Document Everything: Write down all details of the incident while they are fresh.
• Contact an Attorney: Speak with a lawyer experienced in sexual assault cases to understand your legal options.

A strong case is built on documentation. Key evidence includes:

• Digital Ride Information: The app receipt showing the date, time, driver, and route.
• Medical Records: Documents from any medical examinations or therapy sessions.
• Police Reports: The official report filed with law enforcement.
• Witness Information: Contact information for anyone your child spoke to immediately after the incident.
• Communications: Any complaints made to the rideshare company and their responses.

The deadline, known as the statute of limitations, varies by state. For cases involving minors, the clock is typically “tolled” (paused) until the child turns 18. Many states have passed laws that give survivors of childhood abuse decades to file a claim, sometimes until they are 30, 40, or even 50 years old. It is critical to consult an attorney to determine the specific deadline for your case.

No. A criminal case and a civil lawsuit are separate. You can file a civil lawsuit to seek financial compensation from the company even if the driver was never arrested, charged, or convicted of a crime. The burden of proof is lower in a civil case than in a criminal one.

While possible, it is unlikely. The vast majority of civil lawsuits are resolved through a confidential settlement before a trial begins. The “bellwether” trials in the MDL are designed to test arguments and evidence, which often encourages the defendant to negotiate a global settlement for the remaining cases.

Yes, absolutely. Protecting a survivor’s privacy is a top priority. Attorneys can file the lawsuit using a pseudonym like “Jane Doe” or “John Doe” to keep your child’s name out of public court records. Additionally, sensitive documents like therapy notes can be sealed by the court to keep them confidential.

It is highly unusual for a child to testify live in an open courtroom in a civil case. Instead, the legal system uses less intimidating methods, such as:

• Pre-recorded Video Testimony: The child’s testimony is recorded in a comfortable setting, like a lawyer’s office, and the video is played later in court if needed.
• Closed-Circuit Television: The child may testify from a separate room, with the video broadcast into the courtroom.
• Support Person: A trusted adult, such as a parent, therapist, or court-appointed advocate, is typically allowed to be with the child during their testimony.

Yes, and it can actually strengthen your case. Both Uber and Lyft have policies prohibiting unaccompanied minors. A driver who knowingly violates this policy can be seen as negligent, and the company can be held accountable for its failure to enforce its own safety rules.

Compensation, or “damages,” is designed to cover the full extent of the harm caused. It typically falls into three categories:

• Economic Damages: Tangible costs like past and future medical bills, therapy expenses, and lost future earning capacity.
• Non-Economic Damages: Compensation for intangible harms like physical pain, emotional distress, mental anguish (PTSD, anxiety), and loss of enjoyment of life.
• Punitive Damages: Additional damages intended to punish the corporation for extreme negligence and deter future misconduct.

There is no set formula. The value of a case depends on several factors, including the severity of the assault, the extent of the physical and psychological trauma, the impact on the survivor’s life, and the strength of the evidence showing the company’s negligence.

There are no upfront or out-of-pocket costs to your family. Attorneys who handle these cases work on a contingency-fee basis, which means they only get paid if they successfully recover money for you through a settlement or verdict. Their fee is a percentage of the final recovery. If you do not win, you owe no attorney fees.

Yes. For many families, a lawsuit is also about forcing change. By holding these companies financially accountable, the litigation pressures them to implement meaningful safety reforms they have long resisted, such as better driver screening and improved complaint response systems. It brings public awareness and can spur government oversight of the entire industry.

In response to public pressure, Uber and Lyft have introduced in-app features like emergency buttons, ride verification PINs, and the ability to share trip status with contacts. Lyft also launched a “Women+ Connect” feature to increase matches between women/non-binary riders and drivers.

Critics and legal experts argue they are not. Most of these features are reactive, meaning they are used after an assault has already begun. They also place the burden of safety on the passenger in a moment of crisis. The lawsuits contend that these features do not address the root problem: the failure to proactively screen and remove dangerous drivers from the platform in the first place.

In 2014, Uber added a “$1 Safe Rides Fee,” claiming the money would fund driver training and background checks. However, a lawsuit alleged this was deceptive, that Uber simply pocketed the fee, and that its background checks were misleadingly advertised as “industry leading” when they were known to be deficient.

Yes. The scale of this crisis has attracted government attention. In September 2025, a U.S. House subcommittee launched an inquiry into Uber’s handling of sexual assault data. In October 2025, the New Jersey Attorney General’s office opened its own investigation into Uber’s safety practices.

In the first state-level trial in California, which concluded in October 2025, the jury found that Uber was negligent but that its negligence was not a “substantial factor” in causing the harm, so the company was not held liable for damages in that specific case. This verdict validates the core claim that Uber was careless, but it also highlights the legal challenge of proving a direct link between that carelessness and a specific assault.

This is a central issue in the lawsuits. Fingerprint-based checks, which link to FBI databases, are considered the gold standard and are much harder to fake than the name-based checks used by rideshare companies. Lawsuits allege the companies avoided this more rigorous screening method because it is more expensive and would slow down their ability to sign up new drivers, prioritizing rapid growth over safety.

While the ultimate responsibility lies with the companies, you can encourage safety practices like:

• Verify the Ride: Always match the license plate, car model, and driver’s photo with the app before getting in.
• Share Trip Details: Insist they use the “Share My Trip” feature with you or another trusted contact.
• Sit in the Back: This provides more personal space and exit options.
• Trust Their Instincts: Give them permission to end any ride immediately if they feel unsafe.

Joining the lawsuit is an act of empowerment. It provides a path to justice and resources for your child’s healing. On a larger scale, every new case adds to the collective pressure on these companies to enact real, systemic change. Your voice joins thousands of others in demanding accountability and making these platforms safer for everyone in the future.

You can get a free, confidential, and no-obligation case evaluation from a law firm experienced in handling rideshare sexual assault lawsuits. This is the best way to understand your legal rights and the specific options available to your family.